Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said one-way economy class tickets from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will be capped at RM599 for flights on Dec 22, 23 and 24.

For tickets priced higher than RM599, excluding taxes and fees, the government will cover the difference.

Loke said this same framework will extend to other festive seasons, namely Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Kaamatan and Gawai from next year.

“This is a seasonal issue. Every season, this problem arises. Ticket prices are consistently high, reaching thousands of ringgit.

“Therefore, we are taking concrete steps to address this issue once and for all,” he said at a press conference here.

For this Christmas, travellers who want to enjoy the subsidy may purchase the tickets from Dec 16, the day this policy takes effect.

For the other festive seasons in 2024, travellers may purchase their tickets from Jan 1, 2024 onwards.

“Participating airlines include AirAsia, Firefly, Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air. Travellers should note that date and name changes are not allowed. Tickets purchased under this scheme are non-refundable,” he said.